CIVIL WAR is finally behind us – well, the miniseries, if not the event – and March saw Marvel moving on to its next phase. The big news of the month, of course, was CAPTAIN AMERICA #25, with the death of the title character. But March also had the debut of MIGHTY AVENGERS, along with several other “Initiative” titles. That banner covers several new titles (or existing ones with new status quos) arising from the fallout of CIVIL WAR. It isn’t a crossover, but there’s a genuine common theme among the books.

There’s also the “Back in Black” event in the Spider-Man books. There’s the second issue of DARK TOWER, a hugely important project for Marvel. And the sleeper hit MARVEL ZOMBIES returns in an intercompany crossover with Dynamite’s ARMY OF DARKNESS.

Yet again, Marvel was the biggest publisher in the direct market. They led DC by 43% to 31% in dollar share, and 46% to 35% in unit share. Now, let’s keep this in perspective. DC’s one third share of the direct market isn’t exactly bad. And DC puts more faith than Marvel in imprints like Vertigo and CMX which aren’t oriented to the direct market, so the overall picture of the two companies may well be closer. But when it comes to the superhero genre, which is central to both companies and where they compete most closely, there’s no doubt that Marvel is dominant right now.

One common reading of DC’s predicament is that they failed to capitalise on the momentum generated by INFINITE CRISIS. Marvel is now entering the same phase with CIVIL WAR. Some argue that this means they’ll experience a similar downturn. There’s a degree of truth to that – but to my mind, DC’s problems are broader. And even in the “event aftermath” area, there’s plenty of scope for Marvel to learn from DC’s mistakes.

On a more prosaic level, March 2007 marks the fourth anniversary of the current chart format, so for the first time, we can do four-year comparisons. For those who don’t know, the current chart is based on actual sales to retailers in the North American direct market. The pre-2003 chart was based on pre-orders, which meant that re-orders didn’t count for the chart, and that issues charted in the month they were solicited for, even if they didn’t actually come out. Obviously this was very silly, which is why they changed it. The pre-2003 numbers given below should be approached with caution – although at the time, Marvel had a “no overprint” policy, so the re-order activity was very probably minimal.

I’ve also decided to put the full titles back into the tables, instead of just the issue numbers. This has the advantage of making it easier to tell various miniseries apart. Also, I just like it.

Thanks as always to Milton Griepp and ICV2 for permission to use their figures for these calculations.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #25 was delayed by three months because of the knock-on effect from CIVIL WAR’s scheduling problems. Surprisingly, issue #26 has also been pushed back into May. All this means that issue #25 will be the only issue of CAPTAIN AMERICA to hit the shelves over a five month period.

However, with sales like this, nobody’s going to be losing any sleep about it. Retailers complained that Marvel didn’t give them enough information about the story, but it’s hard to see how Marvel could have done so while still keeping the story secret. In any event, the number above includes the second printing, which shipped in the final week of March. It’s a massive figure, up there with CIVIL WAR itself.

Of course, nobody seriously expects CAPTAIN AMERICA to hold on to all these extra readers. But remember, the book’s benchmark before CIVIL WAR was around the mid-40K range. It’s got every chance of holding on to a big increase from that.

2. MIGHTY AVENGERS
03/07 Mighty Avengers #1 - 141,288

In any other month, this would have been the number one title. In this month, MIGHTY AVENGERS debuts with less than half the orders of CAPTAIN AMERICA. It’s also a much smaller number than NEW AVENGERS #1, which sold around 279K in its first month.

But it’s still a very good start, and so far, Marvel’s renewed faith in the appeal of the Avengers franchise seems to be wholly justified. It also marks the first of four top ten titles written by Brian Bendis, which is a considerable achievement.

This is the first “Back in Black” issue for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, thanks to CIVIL WAR-related delays. This book has gone from event to event without much break over the last few years, making it tough to figure out quite how big the core audience is. But “Back in Black” opens with higher sales than most of the CIVIL WAR tie-in issues that preceded it, and that’s got to be a good sign.

Issue #538 picks up re-orders of 2,479. As always, they’re included in the numbers above.

A selection of epilogues and tie-ins which I’m gathering together for simplicity. THE INITIATIVE does very nicely indeed, considering that it’s basically a series of scenes promoting the various “Initiative” titles. CONFESSION is more of an epilogue to CIVIL WAR. Both land happily in the top ten with sales that would delight most titles.

BATTLE DAMAGE REPORT is a vaguely HANDBOOK-styled tie-in issue, selling around three times as many copies as the HANDBOOK usually manages. And the POSTER BOOK is exactly what it sounds like.

A fairly standard second issue drop. Issue #1 picks up re-orders of 8,927. It’s not dominating the direct market, but nonetheless it’s a huge hit, and the biggest non-superhero book we’ve seen in years. Bearing in mind that DARK TOWER also has good prospects for long term sales in the bookstores, Marvel have every reason to be delighted with these numbers.

Dropping back a bit for the third Loeb/Bianchi issue. However, WOLVERINE now seems to be reverting to the format of having different creators do each arc. That means it’s likely to get periodic sales bumps, and that retailers may be tempted to order each arc along the lines of a miniseries. By those standards, this would be a perfectly fine number.

Still in a gentle decline as the year-long “Fall and Rise of the Shi’ar Empire” nears a conclusion. However, Ed Brubaker and Billy Tan remain significantly up on the sales of the previous creative team.

Two issues this month. Issue #543 was billed as a CIVIL WAR tie-in, but it was also (ahem) “the double-sized 45th anniversary issue of the World’s Greatest Comic Magazine.” You may be wondering how it comes to pass that FANTASTIC FOUR, which launched in 1961, celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2007, instead of the more mathematically conventional 2006. Well, count up all those missing months from last year and you’ve got your answer.

Issue #544, which features the Black Panther and Storm as members of the team, was solicited with the notorious “Classified Information” blurb. Both issues are down from the main CIVIL WAR crossover, but that’s only to be expected. Pre-CIVIL WAR, this book’s normal range was the mid-40Ks, so it’s still well up from that.

Another belated CIVIL WAR tie-in. Even allowing for that, and the shaky scheduling, Marvel have every reason to be pleased with the performance of this book. I would have bet against a MOON KNIGHT title still being in the top 20 at this stage, and it’s proving me wrong.

Last year’s sleeper hit returns in a crossover which continues directly from Dynamite’s ARMY OF DARKNESS #13. This is a very respectable debut for any MARVEL ZOMBIES sequel; diminishing returns have not yet set in. There’s clearly still mileage in this idea.

Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato’s relaunch of the ex-villain team continues to perform impressively. Retailers are ordering this as if it were a new series with a much wider appeal than its predecessor, and it looks like the new THUNDERBOLTS is going to settle at a vastly improved level.

Getting a modest boost from “Back in Black”, although it’s nothing extraordinary. “Back in Black” isn’t actually a crossover – it’s just a banner being applied to any story where Spider-Man is wearing his black costume – and in reality, the two satellite titles are just going about their business. I have my doubts about how long they’ll continue to experience a boost from this event.

Still finding its level now that the initial CIVIL WAR crossover is over, although upcoming issues will complicate matters by tying in with the death of Captain America. These numbers are reasonably promising.

Dropping back now that CIVIL WAR is over, but still way up on previous sales. The connection with FANTASTIC FOUR may be helping. It’s too early to say whether BLACK PANTHER has experienced a long-term benefit from the crossover, but the signs do look promising.

Very unusual sales for this book, which has seen actual growth on issues #2 and #4. Issue #2 also picks up 8,621 extra sales this month thanks to a second printing. An impressive performance for a miniseries set outside continuity.

Hmm. This is an Initiative book, solicited with the dreaded “Classified Information” blurb. The interesting thing here is that MS MARVEL finished its official CIVIL WAR tie-in several months ago and then crashed back to its previous level, resuming its ongoing decline as if nothing had happened. Now it’s gone back up again, presumably thanks to the Initiative.

The question is, does this suggest that retailers see the Initiative as a short-term event rather than something with a longer-term effect on sales? It seems unlikely for a book like THUNDERBOLTS, which has been transformed almost beyond recognition at the same time. But with MS MARVEL, the retailers certainly seem to be ordering for a crossover. Depending on how you read it, that’s arguably not an encouraging sign for Marvel. This is a phenomenon to look out for over the next few months.

Not good. That’s a big drop for the third issue of a miniseries. And overall, this is the most apathetic reaction to an Ultimate book since Ron Zimmerman and Duncan Fegredo’s ULTIMATE ADVENTURES – which was so far removed from the rest of the imprint that it arguably doesn’t count. Taken together with the faltering sales on the Ultimate imprint as a whole, and the adequate but unspectacular performance of ULTIMATE POWER, this points to a malaise in the Ultimate imprint, at least so far as its direct market audience is concerned.

69. FANTASTIC FOUR: THE END
11/06 The End #1 of 6 - 54,213
11/06 The End #2 of 6 - 38,928 (-28.2%)
12/06 The End #3 of 6 - 36,744 ( -5.6%)
01/07 The End #4 of 6 - 34,169 ( -7.0%)
02/07 The End #5 of 6 - 33,325 ( -2.5%)
03/07 The End #6 of 6 - 32,295 ( -3.1%)

DBPro’s biggest hit continues to hold up quite nicely. For a twelve-issue miniseries, declines like this are nothing to worry about – especially considering that DBPro books sell mainly through other channels.

MARVEL SPOTLIGHT’s shift in focus away from creators and onto events really seems to be paying dividends in sales terms. Of course, the CIVIL WAR tie-in was always going to help, but look back to last June, and you’ll see that an issue based around the creative team of Mark Millar and Steve McNiven sold fewer than 8,000 copies in the direct market. (Reportedly, the book does quite well in magazine racks.) In contrast, over the last few months, it’s been on a roll.

Standard miniseries declines. An ongoing title is scheduled, almost immediately upon the miniseries concluding. That decision is usually justified on the grounds that the book is doing well with the audience for Marvel Adventures books. On that basis, it’ll be interesting to see how retailers treat the ongoing title. Thus far, they certainly seem to subscribe to the view that it’s got wider direct market appeal than its siblings.

A recap book with a brief framing sequence, designed to bring new readers up to date before Joss Whedon comes aboard. It’s almost the comic book equivalent of a clip show, although with slightly nobler intentions. The parent title regularly sells around 25K, so this is quite a good number.

Much the same could be said for DBPro. Their line seems to be dropping back a little after the initial surge of interest that followed their hook-up with Marvel, but it’s all a little academic – DBPro were never exactly counting on their modest DM sales.

As one Power Pack team-up mini ends, another begins, this time with the Hulk. To all intents and purposes, this seems to have become a regular title. Obviously these books are selling mainly outside the direct market, but they’re performing quite consistently inside it too.

Issue #15 picks up re-orders of 1,747. Issue #16 is late, because the first print run was pulped. The official explanation is that the pages were stapled in the wrong order, although copies that made it to the newsstands don't seem to display that error.

Skip month. Bear in mind that although the regular title didn't ship in February or March, those months did see the release of CIVIL WAR: BATTLE DAMAGE REPORT and the 1990s theme Handbook, both of which I've classified as belonging to separate series. You could certainly argue that they belong here.

Is it really fair to put the numbers of Wonderman and Wisdom on the same level. The former is a better known character and the latter is a MAX book. If you were to gauge each books success relative to those facts, shouldn’t you gauge their lack of success as well? Either Wonderman is doing TERRIBLE or Wisdom is just doing sub-par.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again. The INITIATIVE is seen as a continuation of CIVIL WAR by MOST fans and retailers. This is ONE of the reasons (the other reason being, that the first 6 issues of his run all have variant covers) why sales on Ellis’s T-bolts are still high. Speaki ng ONLY for the comic store I work at, I can tell you that many of our customers consider the INITIATIVE as a continuation of CW.

Anyone else find it kind of funny that DC is being criticized for actually being a company more diversified and better suited to the long-term market?

“As I say every month, the Marvel Adventures imprint is primarily aimed at audiences outside the direct market, so its performance on this chart doesn’t really matter a great deal.”

Shouldn’t we say it’s not the only think to look at but it DOES matter. I’m sure the combined costs from the different markets are put together to determine whether a comic is profitable and worth continuing, if not it’s done. That said, you’re spot on about the Jack Kirby book not having the same crossover appeal in the news stand or bookstore markets and I don’t see why it won’t be quickly put down.

Yeah, this does merit some explanation. When I wrote that line, what I had in mind was the reports I’d seen from people who’d gone down to Borders and couldn’t see anything wrong with the copies on sale. But re-reading it, I’ve phrased it very badly. It should say something like “don’t all seem to…” So fair point, yes.

One item of note: Barnes & Noble is carrying “Dark Tower” at its newsstands, and from the memo they sent out to the stores, it seems these copies are non-returnable and possibly from the direct market. They implemented this when many customers asked for the comic, about three weeks after the Midnight Madness. So those reorders for #1 might be from B&N.

‘Ed Brubaker and Billy Tan remain significantly up on the sales of the previous creative team”

Can somebody explain how 83,000 is “significantly up” on 79,000? Paul, UNCANNY 472-474 were by your own admission a completely forgettable fill-in storyline co-written by Tony Bedard and Chris Claremont, disrupted by the heart troubles of the now-commercially-unviable Claremont and finished in a hurry. If the much-ballyhooed new team of industry superstars Brubaker and Tan is already back down to this level, something’s gone wrong.

We had a blast at my store fielding calls from Barnes & Noble and Border’s those first few weeks. My favorite, oft repeated, question from flustered callers: “What’s the ISBN for the Stephen King graphic novel?”

As Leigh points out, the trend on Uncanny indicates it’ll actually fall below the last Claremont/Bedard issues in 2-3 months. Now Marvel does have its next event at the ready, but it’s definitely a sign that the X doesn’t captivate people anymore the way it used to. (ditto for the Spider, look at those flailing mid-level books!)

Interestingly, the Avengers franchise currently seems to rule Marvel. Something I always dreamed of. Yet thanks to the handling of said franchise, I’m basically at my nadir of interest in the Avengers series (both of them, the existence of which directly contradicts everything Tom Brevoort used to rail against back in the days of Busiek and Perez), Iron Man, and Thor. Talk about being careful what you wish for! But at least Captain America is highly enjoyable, even if he’s “dead”.

(I’ll be incredibly surprised if we don’t see his floating brain or something like it pop up as a cliffhanger in one of the coming months. I just hope it’ll become monthly again instead of quarterly! It’s torture! Which is fitting, considering the involvement of Zola, Faustus and the Skull :) )

It’s nice to see them doing good financially, but it sucks for me personally since it won’t make them change direction, and I don’t like their current direction. But as long as they provide me with Essentials and cool minis on the side like the Jeff Parker ones, I’m good!

Peter, I’m with you. I’m pleased as punch to see the Avengers as the topd dogs at Marvel, but I’ve got next to no interest in how the titles are being run nowadays. and I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who’s noticed how fickle/schizophrenic/two-faced Brevoort is being.

I on the other hand, am digging the Avengers now more than ever. And I’m a fan of the old school stuff. The old New Avengers were up and down, but the new New and Mighty dichotomy is really interesting.